Yaxi

Located in the northeast of Gaochun County, Nanjing City, Jiangsu Province, Cittaslow Yaxi covers an area of 50 square kilometers with a 48-kilometer-long scenic belt. It consists of six villages with a population of 22,000.

Cittaslow Yaxi is rich in cultural and natural resources. Memorial Hall of national hero Zhang Xun, Yongqing Temple in Jingshan Bamboo Forest, Nancheng City Ruins where Niugao fought against Kingdom Jin in South Song Dynasty, Daguan Reservoir excavated by Liu Bowen in Ming Dynasty and the original bamboo Jingshan Bamboo Forest remind people the long history of Cittaslow Yaxi. Sunflowers, lavender, pear trees, tea, thousands of square meters of red maple trees and golden rape flowers make up Yaxi's unique land art landscape.

There are two main events in Yaxi, namely Golden Rape Flowers Tourism Festival and Land Art Festival which are held annually. The former is held in late March when rape flowers blossom and the latter is held in September. The beautiful natural scenery of land art and farms beside lush bamboos form a pastoral picture, attracting hundreds of people to come here. Tourists can take part in various agricultural activities, escape from the busy life in the city, relax themselves and enjoy the harmony of human and nature.

With the development of Yaxi and rural tourism, more and more tourists come here. Therefore, villagers no longer go to other cities to work and they start the business of agritainment and local products at home now. The crop is another source of their income. They offer traditional recipes to tourists, such as bean products, salted goose, braised pork in brown sauce, chicken soup old hens and so forth.